The List: 20 Sep 2001 (Issue 424)

hack to “Q at Blctchley Park to crack the (ierman's new code. the impenetrahility ol‘ which has allowed (ierman l' hoats to roam the North Atlantic with impunity. threatening allied liyes. yital supply lines and the future of the war itself.

It sounds like. and is. the work of hol'l‘ins. hut Apted engineers real drama from the process. and Scott. in his lirst major leading role. makes an el'l‘ectiye hero alongside \Vinslett. In his preparations. unsatislied with simply reading the Harris noyel once. he read it ten times. and unwilling lo merely guess at the workings of an encoding computer. he learnt to work a real linigma machine.

Scott lost two stone for the role and spends most of thc lilm looking decidedly tired and rather pissed off — as you would he if your girlfriend had disappeared. the late ol‘ nations depended on your sums and you spent your free time ayoiding memhers of the secret seryice. l-'or co-star Burrows. though. a willingness to look had is one of his star qualities. ‘1 think he‘s brilliant in it.’ she says. 'lle's ohyiously a yery attractch intelligent actor hut he‘s not a pretty hoy: he looks like he‘s lived a hit and he works hard to look knackered. .\lichael lApted] was never compelled to angle a shot for yanity.’

In a world dominated by American Views of the Second World War. you could see it as a rehul‘t' ol' lilms like l’mr/ liar/2m“. Scott is happy to highlight casual cultural imperialism. hut he seems keen not to antagonise any potential employers.

Girl from wrong side of tracks loves uptown boy. However it is forbidden.

"K w',,.# 7'

"lheyﬁ‘ejust making lilms the way they want to make them] he

says. ‘Somc llollywtxxl lilms do throw tip a sweetened Version ol’

what war was like. hut then a lot ol l lollywtxxl lilms don’t. But you haye got lilms like I ' 57/. in which the Americans get the linigma machine. when the truth is that we did. lirom that point ol‘ View I think that lilm is disrespectlul to the two men who lost their liycs getting it.’

It Scott l‘ancies righting a few wrongs. he could hayc ample opportunity: he is already heing handicd ahout as a possihility l‘or a luturc Bond. 'l’cople haye asked me this a l‘ew timch he says. ‘I don‘t know it it’s something I‘d want to do hecause you can get tied to the role. But mayhef

Apted thinks he‘d he ideal for the role. ‘I don’t know whether he .s/Iull/r/ do it.’ he says. ‘hut I think he would make a good Bond. Scan and Pierce are good hecause they can he helicyahlc action heroes: they can he smart and they can he lun. You need that range to he ahle to play Bond. I think he could do it pltis he would he taking it hack to its (‘onncry roots.’

You suspch Scott will he taking one thing at a time. And changing the course ol‘ the Second World War is prohahly enough. l’or now.